Not Letting Power Corrupt Us
An exploration of power's corrupting influence and how to resist it, drawing wisdom from Marcus Aurelius's example as Roman Emperor and the Stoic philosophy of maintaining humility in leadership.
Have you ever watched someone change after gaining power or influence? Maybe it was a friend who started a successful business, a colleague who got promoted, or even a small content creator who suddenly went viral. It's fascinating how power, even in small doses, can transform someone's character.
I've been thinking a lot about this lately – how success and influence tend to change people, usually not for the better. It seems to be part of human nature. The moment we gain any kind of authority or influence, something shifts in our minds. We start seeing the world differently. We begin treating people differently.
This got me wondering: Is it possible to hold power without letting it corrupt us? Is there a way to lead and influence others while maintaining our humanity and humility?
These questions made me think about one of history's most remarkable examples: Marcus Aurelius, a man who held more power than almost anyone in history, yet fought daily battles against its corrupting influence.
The Invisible Hand of Power
Power changes us in subtle ways we often don't notice. It's like a gentle current pulling us away from shore – so gradual we might not realize we're drifting until we're far from where we started.
Research shows that even small amounts of power can:
Reduce our empathy for others
Make us more likely to interrupt people
Decrease our ability to see others' perspectives
Increase our sense of entitlement
What makes this particularly dangerous is that these changes often happen without our awareness. We don't wake up one day deciding to become less compassionate or more arrogant. It happens gradually, one small decision at a time.
Wisdom from Marcus Aurelius
This is where Marcus Aurelius's example becomes fascinating. As Roman Emperor, he held immense power and influence, yet his private journals reveal someone deeply committed to maintaining his integrity despite his position.
In Book XII of Meditations, he writes this crystal-clear reminder to himself:
"If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it."
Simple words, but they carry extra weight coming from someone in his position. Despite having tremendous influence, Marcus held himself to strict moral standards. While many in power might bend the truth or justify questionable actions, he committed himself to a straightforward rule: stay honest, do what's right.
He builds on this in Book V when discussing how to handle authority:
"Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself."
Look around today and you'll often see the opposite – people in charge who excuse their own mistakes while being harsh on others' failings. But Marcus believed that having power meant holding yourself to higher standards, not lower ones.
Most powerfully, in Book III, he reminds himself:
"Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect."
Think about the pressure that comes with leadership. There's always a temptation to take shortcuts, to justify small compromises for what seems like a greater good. But Marcus saw clearly that no advantage was worth the price of lost integrity.
These were his daily defenses against the pressures of leadership. Every day, he faced decisions that could affect millions of lives across the empire. Instead of letting this authority distance him from his principles, he used it as motivation to hold himself to even higher standards.
Recognizing the Warning Signs
How do we know if power is starting to change us? Here are some warning signs:
When we start believing rules apply differently to us
When we become less receptive to feedback
When we begin to value results over relationships
When we forget what it felt like to be "on the other side"
Marcus Aurelius writes in Book II:
"How quickly all things disappear, in the universe the bodies themselves, but in time the remembrance of them; what is the nature of all sensible things, and particularly those which attract with the bait of pleasure or terrify by pain, or are noised abroad by vapoury fame; how worthless, and contemptible, and sordid, and perishable, and dead they are—all this it is the part of the intellectual faculty to observe. To observe too who these are whose opinions and voices give reputation; what death is, and the fact that, if a man looks at it in itself, and by the abstractive power of reflection resolves into their parts all the things which present themselves to the imagination in it, he will then consider it to be nothing else than an operation of nature."
This powerful reflection reveals Marcus's deepest defense against power's corruption. He reminds himself that everything – fame, reputation, power, even the praise and fear of others – all eventually fades away. When you truly understand how temporary your influence is, it becomes harder to let it corrupt you. Why compromise your integrity for something that will disappear "like vapoury fame"? Why become arrogant about power that's as temporary as morning mist?
For Marcus, this wasn't just philosophical thinking – it was a practical tool against power's influence. By regularly reminding himself of how fleeting his enormous power was, he kept himself from taking it too seriously or letting it inflate his ego.
Building Immunity to Power's Corruption
So how do we hold power or influence without letting it corrupt us? Here are some practical approaches, inspired by Marcus's writings:
Regular Reality Checks
Keep a daily journal to track your thoughts and decisions
Maintain relationships with people who knew you before any success
Actively seek out criticism and different perspectives
Practice Radical Empathy
Before making decisions, consider their impact on others
Regularly put yourself in situations where you're not in charge
Listen more than you speak
Guard Against Ego
Share credit generously
Admit mistakes quickly
Stay curious and open to learning from anyone
Remember the Temporary Nature of Power
Study history to understand how fleeting influence can be
Consider how many once-powerful people are now forgotten
Focus on leaving things better rather than being remembered
The Ultimate Test
Perhaps the truest test of whether power has corrupted us isn't how we treat our equals or superiors, but how we treat those who can do nothing for us. Do we still listen to the intern's idea with the same attention we give the executive? Do we treat the janitor with the same respect we show our clients?
As Marcus writes in Book IX:
"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."
In the context of power, this might mean: stop theorizing about how to use power wisely – simply do it, every day, in every interaction.
📝 Today's Stoic Gameplan
Identify Your Power: Think about the areas in your life where you hold influence over others, whether at work, home, or in your community. Write them down honestly, including the small, everyday moments of authority.
Map Your Tendencies: Throughout your day, notice and write down moments when you feel your position influencing your behavior. Are you quicker to interrupt? Less patient with others? More defensive about your decisions?
Choose Deliberate Humility: Select one situation today where you would normally assert your authority. Instead, practice stepping back, listening fully, and considering others' perspectives before making any decisions.
Practice Position Reversal: In your next interaction where you hold authority, imagine yourself in the other person's position. How would you want to be treated? Let this guide your response.
Evening Reflection: Before bed, review your interactions from today. Write down moments where you successfully resisted power's corruption, and identify situations where you could have shown more humility. What did you learn about yourself?
Power doesn't have to corrupt. In fact, it can reveal who we truly are. When we reach positions of influence, we face a choice: Will we use that influence as a crown to display our authority, or as a torch to light the way for others?
Marcus Aurelius, chose to write his thoughts not in grand proclamations or public speeches, but in private notes to himself. He understood that the greatest battle with power isn't fought in public view – it's fought in quiet moments, in small decisions, in how we speak to those who can't benefit us and how we act when no one is watching.
Perhaps that's the ultimate wisdom about power: It's not about becoming someone different when we gain influence. It's about remaining true to who we are, especially when we have the option not to be.
Stay stoic,
StoicWisdoms
Related posts:
8 Must-Read Books on Stoicism for Personal Growth
10 Books That Made Me Think Differently
Epictetus's Secrets to a Peaceful Mind
How Marcus Aurelius Mastered Resilience — And How You Can Too
Thank you for sharing. It reminds me of something my counselor once told me: failure is an experience, and so is success. We need to stay true to who we are and not get caught up in the external trappings of the world.
Thank you for the amazing insight into Marcus Aurelius. There is so much we can learn. With appreciation, Ginny